Casinos in Las Vegas and elsewhere in the US are slowly reopening to customers after the pandemic, but did you know you can play casino games with live dealers from the comfort of your own home?
Cool new tech allows us to stream live dealer games like roulette, blackjack, and baccarat to our desktops, laptops, and even cell phones.
In this article, we look at how live dealer studios are changing the face of online casino entertainment.
How Do Online Gaming Studios Work?
The great thing about online casinos is that they are continuously developing to ensure a seamless, real-life experience. Once you had to play blackjack on a screen with crude graphics, you can now play with real people.
Leading developers like Evolution Gaming and Playtech are the brains behind this new live studio experience. They set up a studio somewhere like Lithuania or Malta (both big countries for iGaming technology) and kit them out just like a real casino.
They set out gaming tables, each with a real, highly-trained dealer using genuine equipment – proper gaming tables, cards for blackjack, and a roulette wheel for roulette. Each table is then filmed and streamed live to the online casino that contracts its services.
Now, customers at legal online casinos in the US can access a live gaming lobby in their online casino, offering all types of live casino games, and at all stakes, so no matter what your budget, you will always find a game to suit.
Players then click on the type of game they wish to play and then the table (there may be several tables on the go at once, depending on the number of players online.) By clicking on an empty seat, presuming there is one available, you are ready to play. Graphics are overlayed on the table, allowing the player to choose the bet amount and place it. Other graphics then let the player select gameplay choices– like standing, hitting, doubling down, or splitting in blackjack.
In blackjack, every time the dealer draws a card, a tiny sensor records what the card is so that the software understands the cards and totals in play, plus the options available to the player.
All the time, the dealer is chatting to the players – and the players can chat back in real-time via the chat facility. The action is reasonably fast, just like it is in real casinos. At the roulette tables, rounds never stop, although the dealers will rotate every once in a while. In blackjack, the games are played with six to eight decks, all placed in the shoe. When the shoe runs out, the action is halted while you watch the dealer shuffling all the cards again. There is no way that the dealer can manipulate how the cards are dealt.
It’s the closest thing to being at a real casino without having to dress up and leave your home. There are even variations of game-show style entertainment to try, including old favorites like Wheel of Fortune and Deal or No Deal.
All live dealer games are more transparent than the old graphic online casino versions. But if you do decide to give them a try, we always recommend joining an online casino that is fully licensed. More states in the US are legalizing online gaming, like New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Nevada. The regulatory model is based loosely on the well-established UK Gambling Commission, which only offers licenses to the best and most secure online live dealer casinos like STS Bet, which uses Evolution Gaming for its studio experience.
The Bottom Line
Technology has drastically improved our lives in many ways, and the world of online gaming is no exception. If you enjoy playing casino games like blackjack, roulette, baccarat, or Casino Hold’em, then why not do it from the comfort of your own home?
There are tons of benefits, but one of the best advantages of streaming live roulette is that there is no waiting time. You don’t have to stand about as you do with brick-and-mortar casinos for an open spot on the table. You might find the blackjack table you wish to play is full, but you can still ‘bet behind’ a seated player, meaning you place a bet and win or lose depending on their hand outcome. When a seat becomes free, click on it, and you’ll be dealt into the next hand (so long as you place a bet.)Plus, you can play at any time, anywhere, as all online gaming companies offer 24-7 live streaming services for the most popular games. If you’re unsure about the rules or don’t feel comfortable placing a bet, then why don’t you try the free online tables to see if you have what it takes?
